In the present study, we firstly compared rat intestinal ?-glucosidase inhibitory activity by different ethanol-aqueous extractions from the dried fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz. The enzymatic assay showed that the 80% ethanol extract was more potent against maltase activity than both 50% and 100% ethanol extracts. By HPLC analysis, it was determined that the 80% ethanol extract had a higher content of chebulagic acid than each of 50% or 100% ethanol extract.

Drug discovery from complex mixture like Chinese herbs is a challenge and extensive false positives make the obtainment of specific bioactive compounds difficult. In the present study, a novel sample preparation method was proposed to rapidly reveal the specific bioactive compounds from complex mixtures using ?-glucosidase as a case. Firstly, aqueous and methanol extracts of 500 traditional Chinese medicines were carried out with the aim of finding new sources of ?-glucosidase inhibitors.

Three new polyhydroxytriterpenoid derivatives, 23-O-neochebuloylarjungenin 28-O-?-d-glycopyranosyl ester (1), 23-O-4'-epi-neochebuloylarjungenin (2), and 23-O-galloylpinfaenoic acid 28-O-?-d-glucopyranosyl ester (17) were isolated from the fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz. along with fourteen known ones. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data and acid hydrolysis.

Nine hydrolyzable tannins, including three previously unknown and six artifacts, were isolated, together with thirty-nine known ones, from the fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae). They were identified as 1,2,3-tri-O-galloyl-6-O-cinnamoyl-?-d-glucose, 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-4-O-cinnamoyl-?-d-glucose, 4-O-(2?,4?-di-O-galloyl-?-l-rhamnosyl)ellagic acid, 1'-O-methyl neochebulanin, dimethyl neochebulinate, 6'-O-methyl neochebulagate, dimethyl neochebulagate, dimethyl 4'-epi-neochebulagate, and methyl chebulagate by the spectroscopic interpretation.

BACKGROUND: Traditional Indian and Australian medicinal plant extracts were investigated to determine their therapeutic potential to inhibit key enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism, which has relevance to the management of hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes. The antioxidant activities were also assessed. METHODS: The evaluation of enzyme inhibitory activity of seven Australian aboriginal medicinal plants and five Indian Ayurvedic plants was carried out against α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

In India, Azadirachta indica is typically known as 'neem tree' and its leaves has long been used in the ayurvedic medical tradition as a treatment for diabetes mellitus. In-depth chromatographic investigation on chloroform extract resulted in identification of one new tetranortriterpenoid. Structural elucidation was established on the basis of spectral data as 24,25,26,27-tetranor-apotirucalla-(apoeupha)-1α-senecioyloxy-3α,7α-dihydroxy-14,20,22-trien-21,23-epoxy named by us as meliacinolin (1).

In many traditional schools of medicine it is claimed that a balanced modulation of several targets can provide a superior therapeutic effect and decrease in side effect profile compared to a single action from a single selective ligand, especially in the treatment of certain chronic and complex diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. Diabetes and obesity have a multi-factorial basis involving both genetic and environmental risk factors. A wide array of medicinal plants and their active constituents play a role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Facile synthesis of de-O-sulfated salacinols (3) was developed by employing the coupling reaction of an epoxide, 1,2-anhydro-3,4-di-O-benzyl-D-erythritol (9) with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-1,4-dideoxy-1,4-epithio-D-arabinitol (10) as the key reaction. The reported structure of a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor named neosalacinol (8), isolated recently from Ayurvedic medicine Salacia oblonga, was proved incorrect, and revised to be de-O-sulfated salacinol formate (3c) by comparison of the spectroscopic properties with those of the authentic specimen synthesized.